1942
by Vampbarbie
Summary: Why has Jack lost his memory? Sequel to 'The Doctor Sings' Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Here is the sequel to 'The Doctor Sings' (You'll need to read that first!) Why has Jack lost his memory?

Disclaimer: I own nothing! However the character of Lizzie Cash is my own creation.

* * *

**1942**

"Who the hell are you people?"

Rose's eyes go wide. The Doctor fishes in his pocket and pulls out the sonic screwdriver. "Setting seventy five, hold it against his temple."

Rose scrambles across the floor and presses it to Jack's head. He tries to jerk away but she presses the button too quickly. He passes out with a thump on the decking.

Rose stares at him in horror. "What did you make me do?" she demands. "What's going on?"

The Doctor pushes himself painfully to his feet. "I think we have a problem."

* * *

Rose steps into the med bay having changed into jeans and a t-shirt. Jack is still unconscious on a bed, three rectangular translucent glass panels arranged around his head on a metal frame. There is a soft hum in the air and the Doctor is studying a monitor intently, the wound on his head neatly stitched up already. There is a tiny frown line between his eyebrows and he looks incredibly tired.

"Looks like you're joining the WAAF."

"I'm what?" Rose moves to Jack's side and takes his hand. "Is he ok?"

"I'm keeping him sedated. He could hurt himself, or us."

"What's wrong with him?"

"Don't know," the Doctor says almost cheerfully. "But he thinks its 1942."

"He what? How do you know that?"

"1942 Rose. Second world war. Hence WAAF. And I figured you'd look cuter in a uniform than grubby overall and a headscarf in the land army." He steps over and taps one of the plates with a finger. "And I know that because the TARDIS knows it, these things are time sensitive."

"Ok," Rose blinks slightly confused. She looks down at Jack. "So we're taking him back to 1942?"

"Yep."

"Why? Can't we just treat him here?"

The Doctor moves to her side and looks down at their friend. "If Jack's regressed to thinking its 1942 then something happened there, good or bad. He can't wake up here. Hmm 1942, well I can only figure he was jumping in and out of the war before he met us. At best he'd think we were Time Agents, at worst," the Doctor shakes his head. "Do you remember what he told us about the Time Agency when we first met?"

Rose looks at him wide eyed. "They stole two years of his life," she realises suddenly. "Is this because of that?"

The Doctor shrugs. "No idea. That or absorbing the time vortex or the Bad Wolf or something else. He's never known us Rose. We're strangers to him so we have to act like that. We need to watch him, befriend him, and work out what is going on."

Rose nods. "So the WAAF huh?"

* * *

Captain Jack Harkness rubs his eyes with one hand and lifts his glass to his mouth with the other. He doesn't remember getting drunk last night, would seem like a silly thing to do when getting transferred to a new place. He gives his eyes a final rub and sets his empty pint glass down on the wooden picnic bench table at which he is sat. He looks up at the imposing building of Bishop Otter College that looms over everything, and squints in the late summer sunlight. A few service men sit at other tables nearby and eye him suspiciously. Someone mutters something about a "bleeding yank". Jack ignores it. Pretending to be a volunteering Yankee in the RAF provides him plenty of cover, wars always provide plenty of cover for cons. If only he had a con to be running right now, it isn't his fault opportunities have been a bit thin on the ground lately.

Suddenly a pint of beer is set down on the table in front of him and a man slings himself onto the bench opposite with his own pint in hand. Jack looks up. The man is probably the same height as he is. Hazel eyes. Shock of brown hair threatening to escape from its slicked down style. He sizes up the uniform, typical RAF blue, covered in all the right insignia.

"You must be a new boy too huh?" The man's accent is impeccably English, slightly posh, most certainly an officer.

Jack nods and pulls out his psychic paper. "Yeah Captain Jack Harkness. Just transferred here. And you are?"

"Flight Lieutenant John Smith," the man flashes him a wide boyish grin as he looks at the paper and passes it back. He lowers his voice conspiratorially. "We need more yanks like you, kick the Germans in the teeth. Long as we don't die eh?"

"Yeah don't want that." Jack smiles. For some reason he can't help liking this English officer.

"You dance? Course you do, all you Yankee flyboys dance."

Jack raises an eyebrow at this sudden change of topic. "You askin'?"

The man sips his pint, swallows, laughs and says. "You're not my type."

Jack can't help but think shame at that. This English officer certainly is cute.

He nods towards a handwritten poster pinned outside the officer's mess. "I hear some new WAAF recruits are in town. Figure they'll flock to the yank, realise you're an arrogant son of a bitch and talk to me instead." The man grins to show he is joking.

"No ulterior motive in talking to me then?" Jack takes a long drink of his pint.

"Not at all."

"Alright then Brit," Jack smiles at him. "Let's see if you can keep up with me." He raises his glass. "Here's to new recruits."

The Doctor clinks his glass against Jack's. "Looking forward to it."

* * *

Rose smiles at the girl setting up her bunk next to her. She has mid-brown hair, elegantly curled compared to Rose's rather untidy ponytail, and rosy cheeks and twinkling green eyes. Probably about Rose's age.

"Hello," she says smiling back. "I'm Elizabeth Cash. But everyone calls me Lizzie."

"I'm Rose Tyler, you new too?"

"Yes. Joined up to do my bit and didn't fancy digging fields."

Rose laughs. "Me neither."

She finishes unpacking and slides the battered brown leather suitcase under her bunk. "So what do we do for fun around here?"

"You really are new round here aren't you sweetie?" Lizzie says laughingly.

Rose frowns at her.

"Flyers Rose! Real live RAF pilots! Based just up the road." Lizzie grins. "They'll take us dancing. You got a sweetheart back home or something?"

"No," Rose lies. "But I did see one pilot when I walking in who..." she stops, thinking about the Doctor in his RAF uniform and blushes.

"Ooo" Lizzie squeals. "Do tell!"

Rose shrugs. "Not a lot to say. He just stepped out of my way and gave me the cutest smile."

Lizzie raises her eyebrows and grins wickedly. "Well there's a dance tonight in town. Shall we dare to hope you can snare said flyboy?"

Rose giggles. "We'll see."

"Now me, I like the Yankee doodle dandies who come flying in. Always such gentlemen and I swear the U.S uniform is so much more dashing."

Rose giggles and decides that she likes Lizzie a lot. "I'll have to decide what to wear. Can you help me do my hair?"

"Of course," Lizzie gives her hand a squeeze. "I do think we shall be friends Rose."

* * *

The Doctor leans against the bar with all the arrogance of a pilot and sips his beer. He sweeps his gaze across the gaggle of young women and couples dancing and looks for her. He nearly chokes on his pint when he spots her. Her hair is rolled up in a perfect 1940's 'victory roll' hairstyle, her lips are shocking red and she has on a navy blue knee length dress, with matching ankle strap shoes, and seamed stockings. The Doctor lets his eyes trace up the back of her legs for a little longer than he should.

"Seen someone?" Jack's voice makes him look up.

"Maybe," he says carefully quickly taking a sip of his drink.

"Hello," Jack says suddenly, his voice full of sleazy promise. The Doctor follows his gaze, To Rose, and winces. He doesn't really want Jack hitting on Rose. But that was probably likely to happen.

Jack eyes the blonde appreciatively. Something is off about her though. Like she doesn't quite fit. She has every detail perfect but something is still off.

Jack pats the Doctor on the shoulder. "Looks like we found our new recruits. I want the blonde." He starts walking across the dance hall towards the two girls sat at a table. He turns to look at the Doctor. "You coming Brit?"

The Doctor pastes a smile on his face and follows him.

"Flyboys at two o'clock," Lizzie grins at Rose.

Rose looks up and spots Jack and the Doctor walking towards them. She pretends to fuss with her skirt while watching the Doctor out of the corner of her eye. He winks at her secretly.

"Hey Doll," Jack drawls, his American accent much more pronounced than usual. Probably playing it up for full effect. "Captain Jack Harkness at your service miss."

"A Captain?" Rose says breathily. "You're not from round here are you?"

"No ma'am. I'm from the good ol' U.S of A."

"Have you fought many battles?"

"Oh several," Jack grins widely. "I nearly died."

"How terrible," Rose says feelingly, not seeing the Doctor roll his eyes. He told Rose to play along with Jack but turning into a simpering idiot won't help anyone.

"What's your name beautiful?"

"Rose Tyler."

Jack gets this slightly far away look in his eyes for just a fraction of a second but Rose sees it.

"Who is your friend?" Lizzie asks eying the Doctor, realising that the American is more into Rose right now.

"Err…I…Flight Lieutenant John Smith," the Doctor finally manages to splutter out, "RAF."

"Well Flight Lieutenant Smith I think you're going to take me to dance," Lizzie says taking his hand and standing up.

The Doctor throws a look over his shoulder at Rose. But she knows he'll be alright. If the old Doctor could dance then this one certainly can.

"Are you dancing beautiful?" Jack asks with one of his most charming grins.

She takes his proffered hand and smiles back at him. He leads her onto the dance floor with practised ease and takes her in his arms. It reminds her of her farewell party and that thought brings a lump to her throat as she thinks of her mum. She blinks and swallows until it is gone and looks up at Jack as he swings her round the dance floor. Jack is a good enough dancer that it more than makes up for her lack of knowledge of this type of dancing. He pulls her closer to him than is probably appropriate for this era and grins at her widely.

"You know Rosie I could show you the stars."

She just looks up at him and smiles. "I don't doubt that for a second."

* * *

"May I escort you home?" Jack helps Rose into her coat.

She glances round and can't see the Doctor or Lizzie anywhere, and she knows she'll be safe with Jack. "You may," she smiles at him.

He holds out his arm to her and she takes it. They walk outside and back towards barracks in companionable silence for a few minutes until Jack pulls her gently to a stop.

"Rose you look beautiful tonight."

"Thank you. Although you told me about eight times."

He grins, then leans down and kisses her, and Rose doesn't know how to stop him without arousing his suspicion. Not that she wants to arouse anything else for that matter. He deepens the kiss and his arms go around her. Oh god, Rose thinks, I hope the Doctor doesn't see this. He finally releases her but keeping his face close to hers, stares into her eyes, and says huskily, "You realise we could both die tomorrow?"

Rose raises an eyebrow. "Really Captain," she chides, "on our first date?"

He grabs her hand and holds it in both of his against his chest, over his heart. "But its true. Do you want me to go into battle and possible die never having made love to you?" he says earnestly.

Rose can feel his heart beating against her palm. She smiles at him but pulls her hand out of his. "No Jack." She trusts he won't push it further. She doesn't want to hit him, doesn't mean she won't though.

"Alright then," he drawls sexily. "I'll try tomorrow night."

Rose just looks at him.

"I'm stubborn," he says smiling at her.

"Yeah Jack I know."

He frowns just the tiniest bit at that.

"What's to say I don't like your friend more?" Rose says quickly covering.

"What the Brit?" Jack laughs. "I don't believe you."

He takes her hand and they start walking again. "You're not a local girl are you?"

She laughs loudly. "You have no idea."

Jack just stares at her for a moment, a strange idea worming around his brain. He is going to have to watch Miss Tyler very carefully indeed.

* * *

The Doctor paces up and down the TARDIS and counts every ache in his body to try and keep his mind off Rose. He saw Jack kissing her and it took all of his will power not to go over and beat the man to a pulp. He trusts Rose but he wants her here with him. He wants to crawl into bed with her and have her hold him in her arms. He died. Properly died and he can't remember it. He doesn't know what that means. Or what it means with the Bad Wolf. Did Jack take it all from Rose? He thought he had before when he regenerated and it was still in her, waiting to come out to save him. And now he hurts all over. He sits down heavily on the jump seat and sighs. Where is she?

He'd walked Lizzie home, all polite and proper, gone a bit stammery when she batted her eyelashes at him, and taken his leave as quickly as he was able. He'd back tracked to find Rose and Jack.

The Doctor works a crick out of his neck and rubs his eyes. He feels a bubble of anger rising in his throat and with a wordless yell slams his hands into the console. Why isn't she here? She knows what happened to him. Doesn't she care? Of course she does. She always cared. The Bad Wolf proves that. But that doesn't stop the tiny worm of doubt crawling across his mind. She let Jack cuddle on her bed with her after that fight. She'd stormed out on him. Jack found her first. He was her rescuing knight in shining armour. The Doctor feels suddenly cold and very alone. He just wants her to tell him it is going to be okay. Because for once he is very scared and has no clue whatsoever what is going on.

* * *

Rose stares at the ceiling and misses the Doctor's arms around her. It was only one night that they slept like that yet she misses it already. After their fight he spent the whole of the next night tinkering and growling at Jack.

Lizzie was already asleep when she crept back in and undressed. Rose couldn't help feeling a little relieved. She does trust the Doctor but he does have a habit of making women fall in love with him and him not realise it. She sighs quietly and thinks that she is no nearer to working out what is wrong with Jack. And as much fun as the overly flirty pilot Jack is, she still misses her Jack. And wonders nervously if he has the power to bring the Bad Wolf out of her again – her wish to protect the Doctor certainly can – or if he took it all out of her in that kiss. She touches a finger to her lips. He didn't care if he died; only that she lived. She wonders if she caused him to lose his memories. Did the Bad Wolf wipe them away? Oh Jack where are you, she thinks worriedly and rolls over.

* * *

_Note: Bishop Otter College was what is now the Bishop Otter campus of Chichester University and in 1941-42 it was taken over as a base for the RAF using nearby Tangmere airfield to launch sorties from. There is a brass plaque in one of the lecture rooms commemorating this. I used to stare at it during my American Playwrights lectures since I am an old Chichester Uni student. _

_I have no definitive details regarding what the RAF did or how the 'base' was arranged so that is fictional but I am using my own knowledge of the building to go on. _

Okay...Coming soon - "Jack is bragging about you! And painting you naked..."

You know what to do, press that lilac button and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear everyone's conspiracy theories too about Jack.


	2. Chapter 2

_Here's chapter 2 for you all. _

_My first Jack conspiracy theory - woot! I will say you're partly right...i'm not saying which part though! _

_Plus this chapter got a little political. I say let our boys away fighting keep the pin-up girls on their planes! They've been there years and if the women serviving get disturbed by them then they shouldn't be out there. Stupid political correctness making them paint over the girls. Okay I'm done! _

* * *

Chapter 2

"Good morning."

Jack looks round from the nose of the Spitfire he is balanced on the top of a wooden stepladder in front of. He sees John Smith walking towards him, wearing a brown leather and sheepskin flying jacket, his hair blowing messily in the breeze of Tangmere airfield. "Morning Brit," he says, sticking his paintbrush back in the tin of paint in his hand.

"Have a good night after I left?"

Jack grins widely. "Yeah that blonde was very entertaining," his voice is pure boasting red-blooded male post conquest sleaze.

The Doctor feels his blood boiling, even though he knows Jack is lying. He slides his eyes past Jack's shoulder to divert his attention away from his own urge to punch the smug grin off the pilot's face. Then the urge to punch Jack rises again as he sees exactly what Jack was painting. From a perfect kneeling pin-up girl pose Rose Tyler smiles seductively at him from the nose of the plane, wearing nothing more than a red and white polka dot bikini, with curled blonde hair and pouty red lips. Below Jack has written 'Rose Red' in curly red writing. The Doctor bites his lip to stop a retort before it comes. Jack smiles irritatingly at him.

"Isn't she a babe?"

The Doctor turns around and walks away without a word, anger bubbling in his throat that threatens to choke him. He is really starting to hate this Jack. He needs to find Rose.

* * *

Rose looks up admiringly at the grey stone cloisters around her as her sensible black shoes clump along the slabs beneath her feet, and she shifts the manila folders in her arms. She has just come from the planning room a little further along the corridor with these files after shaking off Lizzie and all her questions about Jack.

A low whistle comes from the door to her left. She looks round to see the Doctor beckoning at her from the doorway. She follows him outside and down a series of grey stone steps to the wide lawns. He does not say a word until they are out of sight behind one of the large trees.

He fishes inside his jacket and pulls out a pair of stockings. "Here beautiful," he drawls in an American accent, "Nylons…providing your boyfriend ain't already got you some." He can't help the jealousy from crawling into his voice.

Rose looks at him sharply. "Boyfriend? What?"

The Doctor folds his arms across the brown leather of his flying jacket. "What happened last night?" he says in his normal tone of voice, not even the RAF one he has been using.

"You saw the kiss then I take it?"

The Doctor just looks down at the grass and scuffs his boot against the base of the tree.

Rose smacks him in the arm with her hand. "You are so stupid!"

"Why?" he retorts. "Jack is bragging about you! And painting you naked on the front of his plane!"

"What?!"

"Okay so not naked. But I don't want a squadron of pilots looking at my girl as a pin-up in a bikini!"

"Your girl huh?" Rose bats her eyelashes at him and steps closer. "I like a man in uniform," she purrs at him softly.

He pushes her gently away. "Not here Rose. Come to the TARDIS tonight. Please."

"Okay. I'll be by at seven." She smiles. "Found anything out?"

He shakes his head. "Not yet. You?"

"Lizzie likes you…but then she likes all flyers."

A klaxon sounds in the distance and the Doctor looks up sharply. "I have to go."

Rose grabs his arm. "No don't. I don't want you to get hurt."

He looks at her steadily and picks her hand from his jacket. "This isn't the first war I've been in Rose." She catches the tiny amount of sadness in his voice before he continues brightly. "Now the Napoleonic War, that was a civilised war. Smart red coats too. The Cold War was very boring of course…"

She silences him by grabbing his lapels and kissing him fiercely, smudging red lipstick across his lips. "Come back to me alright?"

"I will." He sets off across the lawn at a jog. Then looks over his shoulder. "I love you," he shouts in his English accent.

"Love you too," Rose murmurs her heart cold with dread as she watches him disappear round the building.

* * *

Luckily it had turned out to be false alarm because the Doctor had stared hard at the controls and tried to remember how to fly. He hadn't thought about actually having to fly and fight. God Rose would kill him if he told her. He looks at the TARDIS door for what must be the fifteenth time in about five minutes. Where is she? She promised she would come. Its now nearly an hour after she promised.

* * *

"Hello."

Rose looks up from her watch at the American leaning over her. "Hello"

"Hello," Jack smiles at her. "I told you I'd try again." His accent as strong as before.

"Yes," she says glancing at her watch again. She really should be going it is quarter to eight already. Lizzie dragged her out against her will. Lizzie who has abandoned her to dance with a young moustached pilot. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"What?" Jack pouts at her. "You realise I can't let you leave." He takes her hands and pulls her to her feet.

A new song starts playing.

"Moonlight Serenade!" Jack exclaims. "You can't leave now!" he leads her forcibly onto the dance floor and pulls her into his arms.

Rose can't help but smile as they start to move to the music. This is isn't the third time they've danced to this song. She remembers her leaving party with all her friends secretly wishing Jack was swinging them around. And long before that, in the TARDIS when Jack would put the song on and they would dance laughing around the control room. Just the two of them, while the Doctor did whatever he did when he vanished into the TARDIS, their little moments. She blinks suddenly thinking she might cry for the lost man in the leather jacket and the lost man holding her in his arms.

"Hey," he says softly, "What's wrong?"

She sniffs. "Nothing I…"

He takes hold of her hand firmly and leads her outside grabbing his grey great coat on the way. He sits down on a wall and pulls her to sit next to him, putting the coat around her shoulders. "Bad news? A sweetheart fighting overseas?"

"No…and if that were true would I be sat here with you?"

He shrugs. "Its war. These things happen." He takes her hands in his and stares deep into her eyes. "You have to seize life where you can."

"Another line?" she smiles to try and break the intensity of the moment.

He shakes his head still looking at her. "I dunno what you've done to me Rosie, but I think I'm fallin' in love with you."

Rose stares at him eyes wide. "What?"

"Hell," he stands up suddenly. "That ruined the moment didn't it?"

Rose stares at the ground and kicks her heels against the wall. What can she say to that? Jack is falling in love with her! Oh god. She'll need to discourage this.

"Do you want me to walk you home?" he asks finally.

She shakes her head. "I'm be okay Jack," she says smiling.

She stands and shrugs his coat off and hands it to him. He pulls it one and looks down at her. He then silently pulls her into a tight hug against his chest so her nose ends up pressed into his coat. It smells like him, familiar and comforting, and part of her wants to stay like this, with her eyes shut with just Jack hugging her. But she knows she can't because he isn't the Jack who said he was coming to London to visit a girl. In the end she steps back and looks up at him. He leans down and kisses her softly on the lips.

"Goodnight Rosie."

"Goodnight Jack," she says to him, and then adds softly to his retreating back. "I miss you."

* * *

Nine thirty. Maybe she forgot the Doctor thinks bitterly. Maybe she's with Jack. At that moment the door opens and Rose bounces inside, looking every inch the 1940's girl in a red dress. He smiles and holds out his arms to her. She runs into them and hugs him tightly. She doesn't mention what Jack said because the Doctor probably wouldn't understand.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

"Yes, false alarm."

She kisses him on the lips. "I heard. I'm very happy about that."

"Me too."

He grins wickedly. "Can I ask you to stay with me tonight miss?" His eyes are twinkling beneath his the peak of his pilot's cap. "We might all die tomorrow. There's a war on."

"Will you stop with the posh accent?" she says poking him in the arm.

"No ma'am." He suddenly scoops her up in his arms, bridal style. "I learnt this from Richard Gere."

Rose laughs and takes the cap from his head and puts it on her own. "Now I know your secret! Chick flicks! That's what you did without me!"

"Shut up," he grins and carries her in the direction of the bedroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey all sorry for the delay!

Its all gone a bit quiet on the reviewing front where are you all??? Please review - I like to hear what you're all liking, loving, hating etc etc. And your conspiracy theories! Plus if someone can spot my 2 other tv homages then they get a virtual cookie!

* * *

Chapter 3

"What was he like?" Lizzie questions as the two girls walk along the edge of one of the lawns outside the college where a few pilots are playing a hastily arranged game of cricket. "I know you left with him again."

Rose blushes. "Nothing happened."

"Liar."

At that moment a red leather cricket ball comes bouncing to a stop near them. Rose stoops to pick it up, one hand holding her WAAF cap on so it doesn't fall off. A man comes running over. It is Jack with the sleeves of his shirt rolled up and his hair stuck to his forehead with sweat.

"Hello," Rose says staring at him. He loves her what can she say to him now?

"Hello," he calls cheerily.

Rose smiles a bit stupidly. "Hello."

"You said that already," Jack says with the teeniest flicker of remembrance. "Good morning Lizzie." He smiles to Lizzie.

"Hello Jack," she smiles back at him.

"Err can we have our ball back?"

"Oh of course." Rose holds it out to him.

He takes it gently, making sure his fingers brush her hand. "This is a damn stupid English game," he complains. "I don't understand half the rules."

Standing on the wicket, holding his bat, the Doctor glowers at the sight of Rose giggling away with a smiling Jack. Maybe Rose likes this Jack a bit too much. He certainly knows his con tricks well, especially the ones that work on women. And despite last night he's not sure what Rose is thinking about them. They haven't talked about him dying. He wanted to, but he couldn't spoil the moment with such a morbid topic. And now everyone thinks that Rose is Jack's girl. The WAAF girl who fell for the Yank. He can't hold her hand or take her dancing. Jack can. Just like Jack could find her. Her real life knight on his white charger, rescuing her and kissing her hand. Despite his big romantic gesture last night Rose would rather be chatting to Jack than him. The Doctor feels his stomach tying itself into unfamiliar knots. He is going to kill him. He tightens his grip on the bat's handle.

* * *

"Brawling in public!" The moustached colonel spits in their faces. "And at a cricket match man!" he aims this last bit at the Doctor. "And you, you bloody yank" he rounds on Jack. "I can have you shipped back to the states so quick that your feet won't touch the bloody ground!"

Both of them keep their eyes front and stand to attention, letting the senior officer's tirade wash over them.

"Captain Harkness and Flight Lieutenant Smith you are on mess duties for a week! Starting today! Get out of my sight!"

"Yessir!" The Doctor and Jack both salute to the colonel and turn smartly to leave the office.

The Doctor looks at Jack as they turn into the corridor. "Wish I'd hit you harder," he growls past his swollen split lip.

Jack smirks, his left eye purple and puffy already. It'll probably be swollen shut by the next morning. "I'm lucky. And you have to punch me a hell of a lot harder than that to hurt me."

The Doctor growls low in his throat knowing that mess duties are an easy punishment knowing that he just turned a squadron casual cricket match into a punch-up. "Don't I know it."

"And hitting me with a cricket bat in the legs, now that was just low," Jack continues smugly. "I think I shall go and find a young English girl to baby me."

The Doctor glares at him and Jack crows in triumph. "I knew it! You're sweet on Miss Tyler too!" he leans close to the Doctor. "Such a shame she would rather dance with me."

The Doctor hears the insinuation in the word dance and feels slightly sick. He's never felt this way before, not in nine hundred years has he felt so jealous. And of Jack, who is his friend. He just puts his head down and walks away. He needs to find Rose.

* * *

"What on earth were you thinking?"

He winces, she sounds like her mother when she goes this shrill.

"I thought you said we had to stay undercover! That means not hitting Jack with a cricket bat!"

"I didn't hit him with the bat," he says defensively. "I threw it at the back of his legs."

"Not an excuse Doctor!" she snaps folding her arms.

"Sorry," he mutters, still feeling slightly justified in his fight with Jack. He winces and touches his lip. "Bastard punched me in the teeth! And I have nice teeth."

Rose glares at him.

"Kiss it better?" he asks hopefully. She is really angry this time. Not just running-to-her-room-Cleopatra-sulking-angry but full on might-punch-him angry. This doesn't happen often but when it does he has learnt to duck.

She folds her arms and gives him a look. "You're in no fit state to be brawling, you died!"

The Doctor flops back into the chair that's Rose originally backed him into and lets his head hit the back of it and sighs loudly. "Yes I died. But I'm fine! Look!" he waggles his hands around, then stands and kicks his legs up in front of him.

"Are you?" Rose demands. "You haven't even mentioned it! Be serious for once!" she snaps, making him pause in his impromptu Can-Can. "You're behaving like a child!"

"And you sound like your mother!" He regrets the words as soon as they come out of his mouth.

"What?" she glares at him eyes hard.

"Rose I…"

"I'm going to go and check on Jack. You stay here and try and behave yourself!" she turns and stomps out of the room.

"Yes miss," he mutters sarcastically at her back, then stands and grabs his flying jacket. He needs a walk.

* * *

Jack massages his temples with his hands as he sits in the empty barracks room. He has the horrible sensation of being closed in upon. Like the walls are moving in, but it is something far worse, far more dangerous. Something is coming. Something not good. The hair on the back of his neck is prickling like there is electricity in the air like before an oncoming storm.

The tap at his door startles him. "Come in?"

Rose's blonde head appears. "Are you okay Jack?" she asks softly.

"All the better for seeing you Rosie." He gestures at her to come in as he stands and shuts the door behind her. "If I get caught with you in here I'll get shipped back to America."

"I'll be quiet," she says softly and walks across his room to perch on the end of his bunk.

He grins unseen at her back and goes to sit beside her.

Rose looks at his swollen purple eye sympathetically. She can't believe her Doctor could do that to him. "Does it hurt?" she asks touching his puffed up eye gently.

"Not much now." He says smiling, which looks rather grotesque with his swollen face. "So are you only here to check on my health?" he inquires innocently.

She gives him a look. "Yes Jack. Behave."

He puts his hand on her thigh. "Are you sure you want me to?"

Rose brushes it off and stands abruptly. She crosses to the window and stares outside.

Jack steps quickly behind her and pulls her to the side of the window. "You'll be seen."

She turns to look at him and then says strangely. "I have so many things to ask you, and you can't answer any of them."

He frowns at her as she drops her eyes to the floor. Very gently he lifts her chin with his hand. "Try me."

"I can't Jack."

"You're a very odd girl you know?" he drawls with a smile.

She smirks. "Really?" her tone is almost teasing.

"Yeah," he leans slowly towards her when the alarm goes.

* * *

"Hello John."

He turns as the brown haired girl jogs up beside him and loops her arm into his. "Hello Lizzie. What can I do for you?"

She smiles widely at him. "Can't a girl just get a handsome pilot to escort her on a walk?"

He laughs, and then winces at his stinging lip.

She looks sympathetically at him. "Why did you attack Captain Harkness?" she inquires.

The Doctor purses his lips. "It's complicated."

"Isn't it always?" she says smiling sweetly up at him.

"Yeah," he sighs again, then changes the subject. "Pretty watch," he says glancing down at the silver strapped square faced watch on her wrist. He isn't sure why it caught his attention.

"Thank you. It's kept me out of trouble many times," she says smiling and touching the face of it protectively. "How's your lip?"

"Fine."

"Good," she gives his arm a squeeze and smiles up at him sweetly. "Then I won't have to nurse you on our walk!"

"Are you flirting with me Miss Cash?"

"That's Flight Sergeant Cash you know?"

He grins at her. He can see why Rose is friends with this girl.

"Can I ask you to accompany me to the dance tonight Mr. Smith?"

"That's Flight Lieutenant Smith you know?" he mimics laughing.

She laughs too. "Well can I? Rose is always at it with that American."

The Doctor feels the stabbing pain somewhere in his stomach when he thinks about Rose and Jack. It isn't a feeling he really recognises but logically guesses is jealousy. He hasn't been jealous in a good many regenerations. Not like this anyway. It's completely illogical and so very human. Maybe its because its her, she brings out his human side. He feels slightly sick. He shouldn't be jealous of a human, and Jack is so very human, so maybe that's why he aches like someone has punched him in the solar plexus. Maybe sometimes Rose just wants to be human and be with someone like her.

Meanwhile Lizzie has continued talking. "I mean he really is the case in point that proves the saying 'Over paid, over sexed and over here.' My mum warned me about American G.I.s, said they were trouble she did. And are you taking me dancing or what?"

The Doctor blinks at her forwardness. "Err…alright."

"Good," she squeezes his arm again when a shout comes.

"Flight Lieutenant Smith!"

He turns, Lizzie dropping his arm. "Yes sir?" he asks of the man running towards him.

"Plane down! Not one of ours! A Jerry. Shift it!"

* * *

The Doctor looks down at the rifle in his hands as the army vehicle bounces along the lane towards the woods where a trail of black smoke drifts almost lazily into the sky. He doesn't like guns. Opposite him Jack sits, his rifle in his lap, an odd half smile on his face. Two other British soldiers sit beside them – Pilot Officer Hagman and Sergeant Harper, while Pilot Officer Perkins drives. The truck comes to a stop on the edge of the woodland.

"Split up," Jack says confidently. "Circle round there Harper. Take Hagman and Perkins. Smith and me will go this way." He gestures with the rifle barrel up a track in a way that makes the Doctor particularly nervous. "Shoot if there's even the sign of trouble."

They set off into the shadows of the trees, dark even on this sunny day, the mud squelching beneath their boots. The Doctor follows Jack in silence watching the man's back. Jack makes no attempt to hide but walks confidently up the track, rifle held ready in front of him. They smell the burning soon after.

Jack starts running and bursts into the clearing made by the fallen German bomber. A man is jabbering at Jack in German holding a pistol.

"Put the gun down!" Jack shouts loudly.

"His gunner is dead," the Doctor says listening to the frightened pilot's babbling. "He's scared."

"You speak German?" Jack demands suspiciously.

The Doctor can hardly explain how the TARDIS translates everything so he settles for "A little."

"Then tell the Jerry bastard to put the goddamn gun down!"

"Put the gun down," the Doctor says slowly in German. "We won't hurt you."

At that moment the other three soldiers burst into the clearing, all shouting at the man. Jack has a sudden moment where the man meets his eyes then all he sees is the muzzle flash of the pistol and two successive bangs, and then blackness.

* * *

Coming Soon

_She urgently pushes the collar of his shirt aside to look for the wound. Her fingers find nothing but skin. Jack closes his eyes at her touch. I'm alive, he tells himself silently. _

_"Jack talk to me." There is more worry in her voice than he would have expected. "Are you hurt somewhere else? Is this your blood?"_


	4. Chapter 4

There should be one chapter left after this one which is very nearly finished! Would love theories now!

Should I write a sequel to this? I have ideas but wanna know if people like these 'versions' of Ten, Rose and Jack. Press the ickle lilac button and let me know!

Where did we leave it? Oh yes Jack was all deaded...

* * *

Chapter Four

"Jack!" The Doctor drops his rifle and drops to his knees beside the other man. "Jack!" He can't die here. Not in the mud of some Sussex woodland. He should never have been here. I put him here. He looks down at his friend. Jack's eyes are shut but his throat is a bloody mess where the bullet has torn through. "Jack…oh…god…"

The other three soldiers are standing near the German's body. Hagman had shot him as soon as his finger tightened on the trigger to kill Jack.

"Go get help!" The Doctor shouts at Perkins, knowing that it is pointless. Jack is already dead. Perkins sets off at a sprint down the muddy track. The Doctor feels tears burn hotly at the back of his eyes. Oh god he will have to tell Rose. She shouldn't see Jack like this, his coat covered in mud, and his shirt and face spattered with his own blood. The Doctor closes his eyes; he can't bear to look at him. Not like this.

* * *

Blackness. Blackness. Nothing but blackness. His lungs are burning. Jack's eyes snap open and he gasps deeply for air. Above him the brown eyes of John Smith are staring at him in shock.

"What the?" he says, his accent somehow less posh than normal.

"What the hell happened?" Jack gasps out, his hands going to his own throat that should be a gaping ragged wound. They find nothing but smooth skin. His fingers work desperately around his neck while John gawks at him with wide eyes. "I was dead!"

"What the bloody hell was that?" Harper says in confusion in his soft Irish brogue. "You got shot in the throat! No way a man gets up from that!"

Jack sits up and John's hand is there to steady him straight away, resting on his shoulder blade in a way that seems far too familiar.

"Go back to the truck. Tell Perkins to call off the cavalry," Jack orders the two soldiers suddenly, a firmness in his voice that belies the panic the Doctor can see in his eyes. "We'll follow in a minute."

"But sir…"

"Do it Sergeant."

The two soldiers look at each other then slowly head down the path muttering nervously to one another.

Jack is staring down at the blood splatters on his shirtfront. "I'll ask again, what happened?"

"You lived."

Jack frowns at the mix of wonderment and fear in the man's voice, but he can hear an undercurrent of anger below that. "I lived huh? Just like that?" he can hear a tremble in his own voice.

John Smith frowns slightly. "Yeah," he says slowly, "You must have a guardian angel."

Jack blinks and absorbs this, and one name floats unbidden to his mind. Rose. He shakes the name away. Not now. This man is way too calm about this. He died and came back to life and John Smith treats this like its normal, well normalish. "Who the hell are you?"

The man stands up suddenly and steps away, looking edgy. Jack pushes himself to his feet. "I asked who are you? I died!"

John Smith steps away as Jack advances. "I swear I'm just a soldier."

"Bollocks!" Jack backs him against a tree trunk and stares him straight in the eye. "Are you a Time Agent? Did you do this to me?"

"What? No!"

"You're lying!" he grabs hold of the other man's shoulders and shakes him. "What am I?"

"An abomination." The words are forced out through gritted teeth. "You're wrong. You shouldn't exist. You're dead. You should be dead." Something in his brown eyes softens as he stares at Jack. "I'm sorry Jack. I am. Maybe I'm one of your guardian angels after all."

"If you are then you deserve this." Jack kisses him on the lips. "If not…" He punches the Doctor full force in the stomach. The Doctor doubles over gasping for air. "I'm gonna prove to you that I'm alive!" he stares down at the gasping man. "See you in hell."

"Jack…" the Doctor wheezes at his back as Jack sets off running. He sinks to his knees and tries to get enough air into his lungs. He swallows, feeling the same dizzy feeling he felt in the nightclub. No can't pass out, not now, he thinks as his vision swims. In his ragged out breath a tiny wisp of gold threads its way into the air. Oh no. He puts his hands on the ground and stares at a tree root trying to focus, because he knows what Jack will do to prove he is alive and he can't. He won't let him.

* * *

Jack's boots skid on the rough lane and he finally stops, staggers to the ditch alongside the roadway and doubles over. He vomits until his stomach is empty and he is only dry heaving. He doesn't notice the gold wisp escape into the air as he chokes over the ditch, his eyes screwed up tight. His whole body is trembling like a leaf.

I'm not dead. I'm not dead. Time for some thrilling adventures in time and space? He can hear his own voice saying those words inside his head but he can't remember why. It feels like his head is full of cotton wool. Exterminate. The word sends shivers racing up and down his spine and he has no idea why. They're like fragments of something that he's seen or heard. Doctor. They whisper ominously at the edges of his mind. Maybe I'm going crazy. He straightens up and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. If he lets the voices in then maybe John Smith's words will be right. He is an abomination. A freak. He's going to prove he isn't. He sets off running again, chest burning. He knows where she will be. Where she promised him she would be. No playing around now. No more games. Miss Rose Tyler was going to help him feel alive.

* * *

She is sat on one of the stone seats beneath the clock tower on the market cross in the centre of Chichester, tapping her high heels against the flagstone underfoot. She touches her immaculately curled hair self consciously, then looks up and spots him. She stands, and smiles at him.

He crosses the space between them in a few long urgent strides and grabs hold of her. One of his hands goes behind her head and one round her back and he kisses her deeply and fiercely. Hard enough to hurt her. She finally wrenches herself free and stares at him.

"What the hell Jack?"

He doesn't answer her. Just stares at her, his blue eyes haunted.

"What is it?" she presses. Then notices his appearance. His coat is caked in mud and his blue shirt is splattered in red. Blood. "Jack is that blood? Are you hurt?" She urgently pushes the collar of his shirt aside to look for the wound. Her fingers find nothing but skin. Jack closes his eyes at her touch. The warmth of her fingers on his skin. I'm alive, he tells himself silently.

"Jack talk to me." There is more worry in her voice than he would have expected. "Are you hurt somewhere else? Is this your blood?"

"Yes it is." He opens his eyes and gazes into hers. Her eyes are wide and fearful. But not of him, for him instead.

"You're shaking," she says taking hold of his hands and squeezes them. "What's wrong? You can tell me."

He suddenly steps back and she sees in his eyes as the soldier he is playing takes over again. "You wouldn't believe me ma'am."

She slaps him hard in the arm. "Don't ma'am me Captain Jack Harkness! You tell me right now or I swear I'll…"

Jack steps forward so his body is pressed against hers. "You'll what?" he asks softly looking down at her.

"Just tell me," she says worriedly, ignoring the proximity. "No one kisses someone like that unless they're dying or something."

He snorts. "Fat chance."

"What?" She is frowning at him.

"I got shot."

She gasps. "You got shot?" Her hands go to his chest.

Jack captures one in his and holds it to his throat. She can feel the throb of his pulse under her fingers. "Right here," his voice drops to a whisper. "I died. Yet here I am."

"Oh god."

Jack drops her hand and kisses her roughly again. Rose shoves him backwards. "Stop it!"

"Why? I just want to feel like I'm alive." He grabs hold of her shoulders, gripping them tightly. "You know you love me too Rose. I can tell."

"Not like that Jack! Stop it, you're scaring me."

"But Rose…"

"Jack don't. I know you don't want to do this." She backs away from him. "I have to go." She stumbles a few paces in her high heels then wrenches them off her feet and runs in stockinged feet back towards the barracks.

"Rose!" he shouts after her, suddenly aware that other couples in the square are staring at him. "Rose!"

* * *

"Jack? What's wrong?"

Lizzie's call stops him in his tracks.

"Have you seen Rose?" he demands dispensing of his usual charm.

She shakes her head. "I got stood up too. John never showed." She purses her lips into a pout.

Jack just nods. "We shot a Jerry today probably a bit rattled."

"How terrible! You're not hurt are you?" she asks seeing the blood and wanting to fuss over him. She reaches for him and he sidesteps her hand.

"I'll live." Yeah I will, he thinks. I can't die. I can never die. I'm a freak, a monster. An abomination he called me. "I really should look for Rose."

Lizzie steps out of his way. "Of course Captain. Maybe you can save a dance for me tomorrow night?"

"Maybe," he says trying to give her one of his charming smiles and fails miserably.

He walks away hurried then starts running again. Lizzie watches him go. Harkness is rattled; she thinks and smiles at his back.

* * *

Rose slams open the TARDIS door. "Doctor! Doctor!"

He appears at the doorway of the console room, his uniform covered in mud and blood splashes. "What is it Rose?"

She drops her shoes onto the grating with a clatter and runs to his arms. "Jack." She is crying.

"What did he do to you?" the sudden ferocity in his voice startles her.

"Nothing. Just kissed me. Are you okay?"

The Doctor shrugs slowly. "I'll survive. Takes more than Jack to kill me…" he regrets the words as soon as he has said them when he sees Rose's wide worried eyes. Jack did kill him. Or he killed himself by kissing Jack. Is it suicide by kiss, he wonders? He isn't sure quite how all this fits together yet.

"But he says he came back to life!"

"I know."

"What?"

"He got shot in the throat by a downed German pilot. I thought he was dead then he wakes up right as rain. Scared the life out of me for a second." The Doctor smiles ruefully. "Accuses me of being a time agent, thumps me and legs it off to look for you to 'prove he was alive'."

"Yeah he said that to me too. What caused this?"

"You." The Doctor tries to keep his voice as gentle as possible. "On the Gamestation when you brought him back to life. You just wanted him to live so badly that you couldn't control it. You brought him back to life, forever. You didn't want him to die."

Rose's hands go to her mouth. "I did this? Oh god."

The Doctor hugs her and rests his chin on the top of her head. "You weren't to know. It's only freaked Jack out so much because in 1942 he was truly mortal. Our Jack knows. He must do."

"Why didn't he tell us?" she mumbles against his shirt.

"How do you say that? Just come out with 'Hey guys I can't die. By the way I'm still sexy for a dead guy'?"

He feels her smile against his chest. "What do we do?"

"Nothing tonight. We'll deal with this tomorrow okay?" He kisses her hair. "Come to bed?" he asks softly.

She looks up at him and smiles. "Okay Flight Lieutenant Smith if that's an order?"

"Oh it is," he murmurs dipping his head to kiss her.

* * *

Outside Jack frowns deeply at the TARDIS and crosses his arms. Something feels oddly familiar here. The police box hums with time energy. His vortex manipulator's readings are off the scale.

It was such a shame; he'd genuinely liked Rose. But she was one of them. A Time Agent. And however pretty she was, it didn't matter one jot. All those tiny hints and the not-quite-belonging thing all made sense now. His hand drops to his service revolver at his side and he rests his hand on its butt. He feels a little bit sick as though the thought of what he has to do is suddenly repugnant. But he won't go back. Never ever. Such a pity. He doesn't want to kill her but he will to stay free. Why were the good looking ones always evil?

He takes a deep breath and walks back out from behind the storage sheds where the ship is parked.

"Until tomorrow night Rosie," he says softly, blowing a kiss in the direction of the TARDIS and walking away.


	5. Chapter 5

The last chapter and extra long it is too! Thank you for sticking with this and the reviews that i have got. Please R&R if you're reading so I know what people think - I like comments good or bad! (P.S. I especially want to know what people think about Jack's 'crimes' lol) Oh and I'm taking the Torchwood line from the episode 'Captain Jack Harkness' regarding the name thing.

* * *

Chapter 5

Rose stretches slowly and nuzzles her face against the Doctor's shoulder. "Good morning."

He groans and forces his eyes open.

"Are you alright?" she props herself up on one elbow and looks at him.

There is a large bruise just below his ribs where Jack punched him and his lip is still slightly puffy and the split has crusted over. He blinks and looks up at her with slightly bloodshot eyes. "I feel terrible," he murmurs softly.

"You look it!" Rose exclaims laying a hand on his forehead.

"I think I might be sick," he groans closing his eyes again.

"Is this because you…"

"Don't say it!" his eyes snap open again. "I don't want to be reminded."

"Sorry," she sits up slowly. "Do you want me to stay?"

"I can't stay," he groans and sits up very carefully. "I have to roll myself into my barracks and report to the colonel."

"But…"

He holds up a hand to silence her. "I'll tell him I'm sick. You have to go. It isn't done for a girl to be out all night."

"But I want to stay with you."

"I'll be fine. I've been beaten up before." He rubs the back of his neck with a hand. "Jack sure knows where to hit you so it hurts."

Rose looks sympathetically at him. "What do I do about Jack?" she asks.

"Nothing. Just observe him. Let me know if anything happens."

She presses another kiss onto his lips as she gets out of bed. "Be careful."

He nods. "I will."

She gathers her clothes quickly and heads for the door. "Bye."

"Bye Rose." He waits just a second until she has left the room. "I love you."

* * *

Nothing happens the whole day and Rose only sees Jack once, at a distance, when he puts his head down and walks away, and even then she cannot be sure that he actually saw her. She stares at the ceiling of her dormitory room and winces as the plastic rollers dig into her head.

Lizzie had asked her what Jack was like in bed in a half whisper as they ate dinner. Rose had blushed bright red and said she wouldn't know. Lizzie laughs and calls her a dirty little stop out. Rose doesn't know why that bothers her so much. Maybe because it would bother the Doctor. He won't ever tell her but she can see it in his eyes. She shifts awkwardly and closes her eyes in pain at the rollers. She hears the soft shifting of one of the other girls. The hand over her mouth is a unforeseen shock. She screams a stifled scream against the palm over her lips.

"Sssshhh," Jack looms over her, a finger to his lips. "You'll wake the others."

Rose flicks frightened eyes down the rest of the dormitory where the other seven girls are sound asleep.

"Come with me," he hisses softly straightening up and removing his hand. "Don't scream."

Rose slowly gets out of bed and shivers in her cotton 1940's nightdress. She slips on her uniform jacket and the nearest shoes, which happen to be a pair of high heels. Jack grabs hold of her upper arm and pulls her towards the door. His grip is tight enough to bruise.

She winces but goes silently with him.

In the darkness Lizzie opens her eyes. This is even better than she could have planned.

* * *

Jack kicks open the door to the Nissan hut storeroom and hauls Rose inside. She stumbles slightly on her heels and turns to face him as he shuts the door behind her. The room is dark and there is a shelf of cans to one side and a long table to the other.

"What are you doing Jack?" she demands.

He smiles strangely at her in the darkness. "I'm sorry Rose Tyler. I know exactly who you are."

"What?"

He pulls his pistol and aims it at her. "I don't want to do this…"

"Then don't!"

"I have to. I won't go back."

He pulls the hammer on the pistol back and Rose winces as it clicks. She lifts her head and stares him straight in the eye.

"This isn't you Jack. I know you. You can't do this."

"Shut up!" he growls at her, hating her in that moment for getting to him. "You're a Time Agent and you've come to take me back. I won't go. We had some fun Rose. But it stops here."

"I'm not a Time Agent Jack. I promise you that much." She smiles sadly at him. "I didn't bring you back for it to end like this."

He blinks to himself. What is she talking about? "More agency lies?" he sneers eventually.

She shakes her head. "No. But you won't believe that."

"You stole two years of my life!" he shouts at her.

"And if you shot me you'll have every soldier on the base coming down here!"

He grins in a slightly twisted way. "I can escape anything Rose."

"Jack… please."

He tightens his grip on the gun. "Sorry Rosie." His smile is almost fond. "I did mean what I said to you."

"If you do this, then I'll forgive you. He won't but I will." Rose's voice trembles as she closes her eyes and waits for the bang.

Jack blinks and tries to steady the muzzle of the gun that is wavering in his trembling hand. 'Do you like Glenn Miller?' the words are his, to her, but he can't remember when. 'If you hear us dying…" He feels bile rise in his throat and swallows thickly. 'Well I think you daughter is a real pretty sight for sore eyes.' 'Easy. I'll just scan for alien tech.' 'I dunno what you've done to me Rosie, but I think I'm fallin' in love with you.' He feels a trickle of sweat run between his shoulder blades. 'Oh, you sort of have a boyfriend called Mickey Smith, but you consider yourself to be footloose and fancy-free.' 'Rose, you are worth fighting for. Wish I'd never met you, Doctor; I was much better off as a coward. 'I always said I'd see you in Hell.' The words pour into his brain like crashing waves and he can't understand where they're all coming from. He wipes sweat out of his eyes with the fingers of his other hand.

There is another soft click and Jack feels the icy press of a gun's barrel in the back of his neck.

"Wrong girl Harkness," a soft female voice says in his ear. "Now be a good boy and drop the gun."

Jack pulls a face and breathes out slowly. How could he have been so stupid? He uncocks the pistol and drops it to the concrete floor, then holds his arms away from his body the way he remembers Time Agents would demand.

Rose has opened her eyes and is staring wide eyed at the newcomer. "Lizzie?"

Lizzie Cash has stooped and picked up Jack's gun all the while keeping her far more high-tech gun pressed into his back. She is wearing her WAAF uniform but there is a hard edge to her face that Rose has not seen before. "You stay there Tyler." Her voice is harder, colder than it ever was before. She shoves her gun into Jack's spine. "Strip."

He shoots her a look over his shoulder.

"I don't trust you. You could have all sorts hidden about you. So strip."

Slowly Jack shrugs off his coat and lays it on the table. Then pulls his braces down and unbuttons his shirt. He drags it slowly off his shoulders and drops it onto the table with his coat. He reaches for his trouser button with a smirk.

Rose watches silently, while Lizzie keeps Jack's pistol aimed at her.

Jack throws Rose a broad grin as he drops his boxers. Rose rolls her eyes.

Lizzie stuffs Jack's gun into the waistband of her skirt and pulls a pair of handcuffs from the bag slung across her body. They look like they are made of black plastic but the middle is much thicker, like a battery pack. Lizzie hauls Jack's arms behind him and cuffs him. She smiles and slams him face first into the table. He grunts softly.

"Jack!" Rose cries worriedly. "Why aren't you fighting back?"

Lizzie laughs. "These cuffs contain enough microdioasticide to make him weak as a kitten." She leans her hand on the back of Jack's neck.

"What?" Rose frowns at Lizzie.

"There…are needles…in the cuffs," Jack groans from the tabletop. His eyes automatically find Rose's. "I'm sorry Rosie."

Lizzie pushes down harder on the back of his neck. "Shut up Harkness!"

"The Doctor!" Rose says suddenly. "He can…" She stops. Last time she spoke to the Doctor he looked like death warmed up and he doesn't know they're here. "I…can…"

Jack's eyes are sad. "Stay where you are. This isn't your fight Rosie."

Lizzie looks down at Jack. "Too easy Harkness. I play the exact type of girl you always take advantage of – a little bit stupid, wants to be rescued by a dashing hero – and then I didn't need to lift a finger because you found your own."

"Hey!" Rose retorts.

Lizzie fixes Rose with a withering look. "So you didn't fall for his American charm?" she laughs derisively. "And he went and fell in love with you. That was a turn up. So blondie just shut up while I talk to the _Captain_ here."

Rose glares at her but the presence of the gun makes her stay silent for now. Jack hisses as Lizzie presses harder on his neck.

"So Jack now is it? Well Jack Harkness I hereby arrest you for crimes against the Time Agency. You stand charged of fifty seven counts of deliberately defrauding the Time Agency and its agents."

Jack grins at Rose.

"Thirty three counts of forgery. Fourteen counts of obtaining money through deception. Twenty-three counts of theft of property. One hundred and seven counts of public indecency and offending moral standards."

His grin gets a little bit wider.

"One count of murder."

Jack's grin falters.

"Murder? Jack…he couldn't…" Rose stares at him. "Tell me you didn't."

"I didn't kill her."

Lizzie pays him no attention. "Two hundred recorded counts of working illegally under assumed identities including Jack Harkness, James Harper, Jolyan Keats, Jack Forsyte, Robin Hood, James Harkness, Jack Masterson, Fiyero Hunter, John Smith, Robert Calzaghe, Tallulah Delores..."

Rose raises an eyebrow. Jack looks unapologetic.

"…Alexander Dante, Jack Tyler…"

"Jack Tyler?" Rose interrupts. "You used my name?"

"I missed you," he says simply. Then he frowns. "How can I miss you? I barely know you!"

"But you do Jack!"

"How very touching," Lizzie sneers. "Forty counts of deception with the intent to obtain money. Two counts of pick pocketing. Bound over by the law fifty three times. Sentenced to death nineteen times."

The door clatters open at that moment and the Doctor strolls in nonchalantly, wearing his RAF uniform. "You have been a bad boy."

"Doctor she's got a gun!"

"Really?" He raises an eyebrow at Lizzie who is covering him and Rose warily with her pistol. The Doctor looks down at Jack. "This is kinky even for you Jackity Jack."

He steps towards Lizzie and holds his arms open to her. "I'm so sorry I stood you up. I was looking forward to that dance." He reaches out and hugs her tightly against him.

She pushes him off and jabs the pistol into his chest. "Shut up!" she orders. "Get over there," she gestures with the gun towards Rose. The Doctor walks mildly over to her and turns round.

"Doctor?" Rose breathes nervously.

He just smiles and squeezes her hand.

"But you were sick!" Rose continues staring at him and completely ignoring the murderous look that Lizzie is giving them. "You looked like you were dying again!"

"Oh I figured that out too," the Doctor adds happily. "I died because of Jack not because of the Bad Wolf."

Jack is staring at the two of them like they are crazy.

Rose blinks. "What? How?"

"He can't die so his body was fighting any way it could to stay alive so when I kissed him it decided to suck on my life force." He shrugs. "Time Lord regeneration energy may be old but it doesn't know everything so it just took a little while for my body to work out what was going on. Kind of like a life vampire. By the way I love the rollers," he says pointing at her hair with a gleeful smile.

Rose raises an eyebrow.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about but will you shut up!" Lizzie levels the gun at Rose. "I will shoot her Smith."

Rose's eyes go wide.

The Doctor holds his hand out defensively. "I won't do anything stupid."

"Yet," Rose mutters barely audibly.

The Doctor smiles gently.

Lizzie turns her attention back to Jack, and presses down on the back of his neck a bit harder. She leans over his ear and whispers into it so only he can hear. "Always heard you were one of the best. Poster boy. Not so pretty now are you?" She straightens and looks down at him. "I make that four hundred and thirty five know charges against you Harkness."

Jack winces as she pulls him upright by the handcuffs. "I didn't do it…well not all of it."

Lizzie gives him a sharp look as she pulls him roughly into the middle of the room. "I have enough evidence to execute you right here." She kicks the backs of his knees and he stumbles to the ground.

"Bollocks!" His kneecaps hit the floor with a hard thud.

"Jack!" Rose cries reaching for him.

The Doctor pulls her back and crushes her face into his chest. "Don't look."

The gun makes nothing but a soft silenced 'pop'. The Doctor swallows and watches the blasted hole in the back of Jack's head as he crumples to the floor. Come on Jack. Come on. I know you can do it come on. He feels Rose trembling his arms and whispers to her, "Don't look yet. He'll be alright." He keeps one hand on the back of her head so she can't look.

Lizzie slips the pistol back into the bag and looks down at Jack's body. "Shame. Damn good agent by all accounts. Just too bad he went off the rails." She looks up at the Doctor. She lifts her wrist and blinks.

"Looking for something?" The Doctor holds up his hand. On his finger is dangling her silver watch. He holds it at eye level and studies it. "Nice disguise. I did wonder why it intrigued me. Vortex Manipulator very nice."

"How did you know that?" Rose asks, her voice muffled against his chest.

"I spent the day in bed Rose. I get bored in bed. There's only so much to amuse myself with…ahem," he coughs realising what he has said. "So I started thinking about stuff. Figured out that Jack was gonna go after you…because well…you know Jack and a pretty face. And then did a scan for alien tech."

Rose grins against his chest. "My professional," she whispers.

Lizzie is watching him stonily, trying to take in his high-speed clarification.

"And you Elizabeth Cash," the Doctor swings the watch back and forth on his finger, "are a Time Agent. Who is seriously beyond her jurisdiction. I must say you played the part well. But the curtain must come down." He drops the watch to the floor and steps on it, grinding it with the heel of his boot. It crunches glassily on the concrete floor.

"What did you do that for?" Lizzie screams at him. "I'm a Time Agent and you are violating sector seven of the…"

"Blah blah blah," he interrupts unsmilingly. "I make the rules. The buck stops with me. Especially when it comes to him." He smiles at her suddenly. "Welcome to the slow path. You get to live here and enjoy your life. Play your wartime sweetheart, go dancing."

"What gives you the right to decide that?" Lizzie steps towards him glaring. Her hand starts fumbling inside her bag.

Rose lifts her head at that moment and stares at Lizzie for a fraction of a second. "Because he's a Lord of Time, bitch!" Rose's punch sends the other girl flying.

Lizzie crumples into a heap on the floor, her gun skittering away across the floorboards.

The Doctor nods appreciatively. "Been taking lessons from Jack there?"

"Jack!" Rose drops to her knees at the other man's side. She looks up at the Doctor. "Is he?"

"No." The Doctor has already noted that the hole has closed up. He is glad Rose didn't see that. He crouches and uses the sonic screwdriver on the cuffs. They drop off with a hiss and a little foul smelling liquid seeps from the ends of the needles.

"Leave him a moment."

Jack gasps and his hand reaches out and finds Rose's instantly. "Bitch shot me!"

"Yeah."

"Rose?"

"Jack?" She carefully helps him sit up wondering if its really him or not.

"I'm naked."

"Yeah," she says nodding, as her cheeks go rather pink.

The Doctor reaches for Jack's coat and hands it to him.

"Thanks Doctor," Jack says pulling it over his nakedness, then frowns. "Doctor…and Rose…" He blinks and his mouth drops open. "Oh god Rose I'm so sorry!"

"Its okay," she says rubbing his hand up and down his trembling shoulder blade.

Jack swallows and raises shining eyes to Rose. "Did I tell you I was in love with you?" he asks nervously.

The Doctor's eyebrows go skywards.

"Umm yeah." Rose looks embarrassed. "Least you didn't fight me."

"Hey he attacked me." Jack looks up at the Doctor. "I'm sorry I punched you…more than once."

The Doctor leans down, puts his hand under Jack's armpit and pulls him to his feet. "Get dressed Jack."

Jack looks down at Lizzie's unconscious form. "I didn't do everything they accused me of."

Rose slips her hand into his and squeezes. "I know."

Jack turns and stares at her. "You don't know. She died. My partner, Karin. They blamed me and when I went AWOL they said I did it." He winces and rubs the back of his head. "Didn't think I'd get executed on the spot though."

Rose bites her lip and then hugs him tightly. The Doctor coughs and holds out Jack's boxer shorts.

* * *

"Hey," Jack pokes his head round the door of the control room, "can I come in?"

Rose looks up from the magazine she has been flicking through and the Doctor's head appears from under the control panel. "Yeah."

He steps into the room and stops just inside the door, his hair wet from his recent shower and looks apologetic. "I am so sorry."

Rose jumps to her feet and hugs him firmly. Then grabs his hands and pulls him fully into the room. He grimaces.

The Doctor is wiping his hands on a rag. "Time for a few explanations Jack."

"Doctor!" Rose whirls and glares at the Time Lord. "No Jack you don't have to…"

"I do." Jack stares over Rose's head at the Doctor as he says it. "What first? That I can't die?"

The Doctor shrugs.

"I woke up on the Gamestation and you were leaving. There was nothing but Dalek dust and dead bodies. I kinda freaked out and used my Vortex manipulator to get the hell out. I landed in 23rd century Somerset in a cow shed."

The Doctor sniggers. Rose shoots him a look.

"How did you work out…?"

"I got shot by the farmer," Jack says calmly. "For trespassing. And I woke up dumped in a ditch with a sack over my head. I got stabbed in Germany in 1904, and it happened again. I've been poisoned, hanged, electrocuted; there was a nasty incident with a javelin." He winces at the memory. "Got 'exterminated' again." He looks down at Rose. "That's how I got the ship Rose. They killed me and Daleks can't comprehend someone coming back. So I just waltzed right out with it from under their…noses?" He shrugs and looks uncomfortable. "I was a conman you know that. So yes I did do most of the things they accused me of. And yes they will come after me again." He smiles a little. "Most of the crimes were reported on very prudish planets…"

"Thanks for that," the Doctor says firmly dissuading any further discussion on that topic. "And thank you for saving Rose back in the club. And why 1942 may I enquire?"

Jack's cheek twitches. "Because I did something terrible in 1942."

The Doctor frowns and Rose squeezes his hands silently urging him to continue

"End of another self cleaning con. You weren't there Rose so instead of falling for you, I fell for her. Bright young thing who threw herself at me so who was I to say no? I seduced her." A frown line forms between his eyebrows. "Or so I thought. Found out what she was doing right at the last minute. And instead of her shooting me, well…I…" he swallows. "I shot her." He looks at the floor. "She died."

"It didn't happen." The Doctor looks compassionately at him. "She's still alive."

"But I remember doing it."

"I know," the Doctor says softly. "And you always will. But you didn't do it Jack. You have no blood on your hands."

Jack nods and glances down at Rose. She is staring at him, her lower lip between her teeth. "What is it?"

"She, Lizzie, said that Jack Harkness wasn't your real name."

Jack stares down at her solemnly. "Its my name."

"Yeah now!" she snaps. "Do I even know you at all 'Jack'?"

She pulls away from his sharply and runs from the control room.

"Rose!" Jack turns and yells uselessly after her.

The Doctor shakes his head as he walks over to Jack. He pats him on the shoulder. "She'll come round."

Jack turns almost tearful eyes to the other man. "You think? I lied to her."

The Doctor regards him for a moment then pulls him into a hug. "We've all done that Jack. Just don't do it again." He lets go of him and smiles. "And don't be telling her you love her again. That's my job."

"Yes sir."

The Doctor smiles, pats his shoulder again and follows Rose.

* * *

She is lying on her bed staring at the ceiling with her brown teddy bear between her hands when he opens the door. He walks inside and plonks himself beside her on the bed.

"Hey."

"Hey," she says back flatly in a tone that tells him she doesn't want to talk.

Too bad, he thinks to himself. Because I'm the king of making you talk Rose Tyler. He gently takes the bear out of her hands, sets it down between them and then strokes the side of her face. "Oh my sweetheart," he says softly sounding terribly sad. "We keep disappointing you don't we?"

Rose blinks, not expecting this, and props herself up on her elbows. "You don't…"

He interrupts her. "We do. We don't ever mean to but we do." He entwines his fingers in hers. "I promised you that I would never leave you. But I still did. Jack doesn't mean to be who he is. Or to have done what he's done. But he never meant to hurt you Rose."

"I know," she says softly.

He looks sceptical.

"I do. Really." She sits up and pushes her hair back. "I just thought I knew everything y'know?"

The Doctor laughs lightly. "I think Jack will always keep surprising us."

She nods. "Yeah. Like you."

The Doctor raises an eyebrow. "I am nothing like Captain Harkness." He is pretending to be affronted.

"What handsome, charming, a good dancer…"

"I hope to Gallifrey that you very little about Jack's _dancing_," the Doctor says firmly.

She giggles. "I love Jack. And he loves me. That's enough." She smiles at the Doctor. "And I love you most of all."

"Good." The Doctor's face breaks into a big grin and he leans in to kiss her. "Now go and clean up your own mess. I don't want Jack blubbering all over the control panel."

Rose looks horrified. "I made him cry?"

"Near as when I was there."

Rose looks like she might cry herself.

"Hey," the Doctor pulls her onto his lap. He strokes away the stray tear from her cheek "Go make up with him sweetheart."

She shakes her head. "Give me a little while?"

"Not a chance," the Doctor says pouting a little. "I'm staying right here. Go have a shower, take a few deep breaths and go when you're ready to talk to him. I've had enough time away from you."

She smiles, picks up the bear and places it in his hands before standing and heading for the en-suite bathroom. She looks over her shoulder at him and smiles. "I hope you kept the uniform Flight Lieutenant."

* * *

Rose enters the control room much later that night and finds Jack perched on the edge of the control panel dressed in a pair of jeans and a casual black shirt. He is staring at his toes and chewing his lip worriedly. He looks up as she enters and presses something on the control panel. He stands just as the first strains of 'Moonlight Serenade' and silently holds his hand out to her. Rose hesitates for just a second before she walks over to him and takes his hand. He smiles in relief and pulls her closer to him. They dance the well-known steps that they instinctively worked out around the control room in silence for a minute before Rose looks up at him.

"I'm sorry Jack."

He looks down at her while they continue to dance. "I am to. Hey," he smiles, "least you didn't slap me this time."

She smiles for the first time since entering the room. "So we're good?"

"We'll always be good Rosie."

He picks up the pace and jives her round the room energetically. She can't help but laugh with the sheer joy of it. He dips her low and pulls her up laughing too, his blue eyes twinkling. The song ends and he draws her into a tight hug. She presses her nose into his shirt and smells his familiar aftershave and smiles. She is happy here. Jack will always be there for her. Jack smiles, smoothes down her now-wild hair with one hand and presses a kiss on the top of her head. He looks up to see the Doctor leaning in the doorway watching them. They both look flushed and slightly dishevelled. He is pleased that they made up.

The Doctor smiles his wide boyish smile at Jack who just grins back.

**The End**


End file.
